Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a headphone apparatus capable of managing headphone wires. Specifically, the present invention may relate to a headphone apparatus having transducer coupling devices that, when engaged, create a structure capable of securing one or more headphone wires.
Discussion of Background
All United States patents and publications referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties into the present application. In particular, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,616,080; 7,077,693; 7,436,974; 7,693,295; 8,121,304; 8,139,809; 8,189,843; 8,798,305; 8,908,898; 8,976,993; and D709,355; and U.S. Patent Application Publications Nos. 2014/0169611, and 2011/0252605 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In the case of conflict, the present specification, including any definitions, will control.
The use of portable audio and video devices, including smartphones, has grown rapidly as a way for people to listen to various audio mediums while on the go. These devices require some sort of audio transducer/headphone to convert the electrical signals from the portable device into audible sound. These signals are usually transmitted by means of a signal wire or cord physically connected to the device, but could also be transmitted wirelessly. Many designs of these “headphones” exist but increasingly popular are earbud/in-ear headphones that are small, light weight and easy to carry or store when not being used. These earbud headphones are usually connected to one another by means of secondary wires, which transmit the portable device signal to both the right and left headphone transducers. In each earbud housing, there is typically at least one headphone transducer to convert the device signal into audio. The earbud housing may include housing for at least a portion of a wire connected to the headphone transducer, and may have multiple parts and shapes to it, including, but not limited to a structure designed to fit the shape of a user's ear or ear canal, a decorative or ornamental structure, a shroud, or a stem.
While earbud headphones are lightweight and portable, the headphone wires are flexible and can often become tangled or knotted when they are stored away, such as in a pocket or bag. When the wires become tangled or knotted, the user must take time and effort to untangle or unknot them before being able to use the headphones properly. Additionally, this tangling or even the process of untangling the headphones can cause damage to the wires, eventually causing the headphones no longer to function. There are techniques users may employ to coil or wrap the wire and then intentionally knot the wire around itself so that it does not become further tangled. These techniques require user knowhow but also add complexity to un-wrapping the headphones because the user must undo the intentional knot.
In addition, certain cord management systems exist whereby a portion of the headphone wire is formed into elastic helical coil shape to help facilitate this folding of the wire, such as the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,908,898, as noted above. This embodiment, however, causes the tying portion of the wire to be bulkier, changes its aesthetic properties, and causes it to facilitate tangling with the rest of the wires if the tying portion is not properly engaged with a folded wire.
Similarly, certain cord management systems exist which allow the user to wrap a wire around them and temporarily secure it to prevent tangling. Such systems are described, for example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,693, as noted above. Some of these systems include an embedded winding mechanism to help the user spool the wire, such as the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,080, as noted above. Other cord management systems exist that wrap around the coiled headphone wires, securing them in place by means of friction thereby preventing them from tangling. Such systems are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0252605, as noted above. Each of these embodiments requires an additional device, which adds significant size and weight to the headphones or must be carried separately.
Other cord management systems exist that do not require an additional spooling device but rather use the headphones' bodies as a spooling device. These embodiments, however, require an additional cord fastener to be engaged with the wire, which adds significant size and weight to the headphone wires and changes their aesthetic properties. Furthermore, this system makes returning the headphones to a usable state a three-step process: 1) unclasp the fastener, 2) uncoil the cord, 3) pull the headphone ear pieces apart. Such systems are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0169611, as noted above.
Certain headphones are designed to be connected by means of a coupling device so that the user may wear the headphones around the neck when they are not in use. Such systems are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,436,974; 7,693,295; 8,189,843; 8,798,305; and 8,976,993, as noted above. In addition to connecting the headphones around the user's neck, the user may connect the headphones before storing them away in a pocket or a bag, for example. Connecting the headphones helps prevent the two secondary wires from tangling with one another by creating a complete wire loop with no unconnected ends of the earbud wires. While coupling the headphones in this way does provide a way to partially prevent tangling, the earbud wires may still become entangled with the signal wire, creating knots the user must still unknot or untangle.
Certain cord management systems exist to further secure the signal wire, but they require at least one additional cable management clip device, which adds significant size and weight to the headphone wires, changes their aesthetic properties and introduces the potential for further tangling when the clip device is not properly engaged. Such systems are described, for example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 8,139,809, as noted above.
Furthermore, certain cord management systems exist which are designed to allow the user to connect each end of the headphone wires (the headphones) and signal wires (the plug) together. Connecting the headphones and plug helps prevent the two secondary wires and one signal wire from tangling with each other by creating a complete wire loop with no unconnected ends of the earbud wires. While connecting the headphones and plug in this way provides a way to partially prevent tangling among the earbud and signal wires, it does not completely prevent tangling as much of the wire is still unconstrained. It does not provide a way to constrain the wire at points other than its ends, still allowing the unsecured wire to become entangled with or snagged on other objects, e.g., keys in one's pocket or the wire from another device in a laptop bag. Some such systems may require a connection device, i.e., magnets or snaps, at the ends of each of the earbud and signal wires. Having several connection devices adds bulk, changes its aesthetic properties and makes it so returning the headphones to a usable state is at least a two-step process: 1) disconnect the signal wire connection device, 2) pull the earphone connection devices apart. Such systems are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,304, as noted above. Other such systems require the use of an additional device which adds significant size and weight to the headphones or must be carried separately, creating the possibility that it will be lost. Such systems are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. D709,355, as noted above.
There is presently a need in the art for a system or systems to more-effectively prevent the earbud/headphone wires from tangling or knotting, thereby saving the user time and hassle required to untangle the wires.